Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-16
A BRITISH OFFICERS DISGRACE
A Long bat Successful Chase After
. forger.

Fcrger.
A Chicago special says: Private in
formation was received here tonight
that to-day in Kansas City William II.
w. Markham, assistant paymaster OF
the British war-vessel Espoir, was ar
rested charge Of forging the name OF
his superior officer for amounts aggre-
eating about $4,000. The crimes
were committed over year ago,
when the Espoir was cruising of
the coast OF China. For some
time past Markham, under the name OF
Gaylor, has been acting as agent at
Kansas City for well-known insurance
company. He has been constantly
shsdowed night and day since June 18th
until this morning, the detectives being
unwilling to arrest him until the extra
dit;on papers and all other prelimina-
ries had been first arranged. Though
the culprit's Whereabouts have been
known only since June 18th the detec-
tives have been increasingly tracing
him up step by step ever since the
forgeries were discovered in the spring
of 1886.
The story of the long chase forms a
marvellous record. Markham left his
ship ostensibly for a vacation, and all
clue to hlm had been lost before his
misdeeds came to light, and the case
was formally handed over to the Scot
land Yard detectives in London.
Meantime Markham was in Shanghai,
where he was spending money with a
prodigality worthy of an East Indian
rajah. 1t was in Shanghai that he fell
in with an American adventures
named Gussie Bland, who had just ar
rived from San Francisco travelling as
a Mrs. De Forest. Upon her Mark
ham lavished nearly everything Re
had, and when soon after he became
aware that officers were searching hlm
out he had barely enough funds to
bring himself to San Francisco. So
nervous was he on the way over that he
attracted the attention OF San Fran
cisco officer who was cn another err
rand. Had the San Francisco author
tiles been notified Markham could
easily have been arrested then, as he
was kept steadily in view for several
DAYS, but no charges being known
against him he was allowed to depart.
Gussie Bland returned to California
on almost the next steamer after Mark
ham. She went to Los Angeles. but
when the British officials had finally
located her they learned that no one
answering Markham's description had
ever been near her Nevertheless her
house was watched month after month
until by accident one day detective
noticed the address of letter mailed
10 one Of the womsn's intimates mt n
saloon near by. The handwriting
seemed familiar, and comparison with
the photograph of signature in
San Francisco hotel register
showed the writer to be Mark
ham. Close observation established the
fact that Markham sent frequent letters
at the general delivery in some distant
city. Officers in disguise thereupon
inveigled themselves into Mrs. De
Forests graces, and one night, when
champagne loosened her tongue, got
her talking of the mysterious cor
respondent. She ridiculed him merci-
lessly as a soft Englishman, who had
thrown away q fortune on her, and was
still as infatuated, as ever, incidentally
dropping the fact that he was then IN
Kansas City. Immediately an arrange
ment was made by the detectives where
by the clerk at thepost office window IN
Kansas city was to dropa pencil outside
the counter as signal when Markham
asked for his mail. So confused did
the clerk become that twice he failed
and Markham escaped. The third time
the detective was given the signal.
Markham was intensely suspicious, and
had acquired the habit of starting in
the opposite direction from which he
intended to go, and then suddenly turn-
ing taking street-cars going the wrong
way ard jumping off to take the one he
wanted, all the time watching to see II
he was pursued In spite OF these tac-
ties he was shadowed constantly until
to-day. When all was ready the arras
was made, and morrow morning early
he will he started on the road 10 Eng
land and long term OF penal seryi-
tudp